SmartFlix Cool Project Contest

Project description: All Hand Crafted, from reclaimed wood. Made of Oak from and old barn, and Black Walnut Wood, from and old fireplace mantel. The Trailer has an old post office box door, in the back, and a brass coin slot on top.

Project description: This is the second in the "Santa's Village" series. It is made completely of polymer clay with the exception of cardboard tube forms for the turrets. The tops come off of the turrets for storing Santa and the flags until next Christmas. The castle is about 5" tall with holes in the bottom for lights to make the windows glow. Santa stands on the porch but can move around. He is about 2" tall. No wonder he fits in chimney's! LOL

Project description: We're all trying our best to Go Green, so I decided a painted market bag would help my family members say "no" to 'paper or plastic'.

Project description: 16 inch Kilnformed glass platter.

Project description: My entries do not have holiday themes but were Christmas gifts I made, all are hand forged. 2 I gave to family and one was commissioned by a new client.

Project description: My parents have been working all year on a new house. I wanted to give them something special to mark the "almost completion" this Christmas. Made it out of ceramic paperclay using techniques learned in Smartflix tile-making and extruding DVDs.

Project description: Made of a superwash wool from Norway -- can go in the washer on delicate, and then spread it on a towel to dry. I love these traditional patterns or babies -- and navy on white was gender-neutral, since I started before she was born.

Project description: 16 gagae cooper sheet disk, hammered (sinking) into a bowl. heat patina, metallic paint with coined edge.

Project description: I knitted these mittens for my husband on a 12-hour car trip to our son's for Xmas and finished them at 1 a.m. on xmas day. He was with me the whole time I was making them and didn't have a clue as to what they were or were for him.

Project description: This is a beaded ornament I knitted for my RC-helicopter flying husband. The helicopter design is my own and replicates, to the best of my ability, one of his RC helicopters

Project description: I took the pottery techniques learned from Air Presents: Miniature, by Fong Choo and created this Happy Face figurine. The techniques learned from your DVD includes using a rolling pin and making a slab and throwing a shallow bowl and attaching both clay slab and bowl to create this little happy guy!

Project description: These are two of the projects I have completed with the help of all the sewing DVDs I have rented from Smart Flix. I have been able to learn how to alter a pattern to fit my atypical figure, which is short and fuller than the average pattern. This is a princess seam jacket with welt pockets and bound buttonholes from Burda Pattern Company. The pants are a McCalls Palmer/Pleustch Pants Pattern. The pants have side seam pockets and a front fly zipper and hook in the front. These are the most difficult projects I have attempted and finished due to the help Smart Flix Instructional Vidoes. I am submitting my photo, so you can see the clothing actually does fit me. Michelle Wardlow michelle@ckt.net

Project description: This was my first Mosaic Christmas Eagle. We live near the mountains and sometimes we see a Christmas Eagle, so why not do one for the season, for it is a beautiful site to see one on such a special day. A blessed New Year everyone, and happy crafting !

Project description: this is a dagger hammer forged from coil spring with a full tang that runs through the antler and is peaned on the brass pommel cap. the handle is elk antler and the finger gaurd was hanshaped out of brass. This knife is differentially heat treated for a hard edge and a soft spine. I was entirely done by hand forging to shape and filing and sanding by hand to get the finish.

Project description: I've started turning birdhouse ornaments based on Dick Sing's book Turning Miniature Birdhouses http://www.amazon.com/Dick-Sing-Turns-Miniature-Birdhouses/dp/0764320807

Project description: Hand knit Fairisle Christmas stockings. Made with alpaca, wool and mohair yarn and lined with velvet.

Project description: Two foot tall Santa, painted with acrylic on wood.

Project description: Hand Engraved Key Chain of a Bass. Hot blued and then French Grayed for the contrast.

Project description: This is a 28" X 24" wallhanging. Each block was individually machine embroidered, then all 20 blocks were stitched together like a quilt, with borders and hangers added. White twill tape was added with a twin needle to give the appearance of window panes. In all, 40 thread colors were used including gold metallic.

Project description: This is probably the best of my knives so far. It was cut from a billet made by Alabama Damascus, 416 layers of the best steels -- 52100 and high nickel steels like 203E and 15N20. Quenched three times and tempered at 350F. The fossil material is slices of woolly mammoth tooth I bought from Miles Martin in Alaska. I had put off for months cutting the mammoth tooth pieces for fear I'd make something I didn't like later or ruin them.... and I'm very happy with this now that I've finally done it. It is 9 3/4" overall length, with a 5" blade. This is a shadow box knife, though it's as hard and tough as any working knife. It comes with a sheath that hasn't been designed yet.

Project description: I repaired an old Nintendo Entertainment System for my nephew who loves classic video games and also loves the Boston Celtics. I replaced the worn out 72 pin connector with a new one, bypassed the lock out chip so it would play all games made for the system (not just the NES licensed games), and replaced the standard red power LED with a dandy green one. After these modifications were complete, I gave it a fresh green and white paint job to match his favorite NBA team. My nephew is a grown man and has all the new gaming systems, but when he opened this up on Christmas, you would have thought it was 1985 again. He was absolutely ecstatic! Anyway, that was the project that I worked on in my office during daily lunch breaks.....

Project description: I made a pair of sterling silver earrings for my sister-in-law. She is a wild woman, so I stamped her earrings with the words "Wild" and "Free" and added a fiery red little carnelian gemstone bead.

Project description: 3/4 life-size (approx.) Common Loon for Al B. who likes Loons.

Project description: 16 gauge steel body, 3/8 steel arms, cold blued and hand painted finish.hand made copper bowl with brown patina on outside. 13" overall height designed as a wall hanging

Project description: These are used reindeer shoes that I've forged in my blacksmith shop. They have a slight "golden" look to them, that's whats left of the "magic" that helps the reindeer fly. Toss one of these out before the kids get up on Christmas morning, so the kids can find it, and watch the looks on their faces when you explain it to them! Thanks! Richard

Project description: Portrait sculpture of my son. This was my first attempt at a portrait, done after watching "The Art of Sculpting 1 Children" by Phillippe Faraut. This video is so good it gave me the confidence to try it. The sculpture is cerra cotta that was hollowed and fired then painted to give it a bronze patina look.

Project description: This is a wire wrapped necklace I made over the Holidays, using argentium sterling silver. The first picture shows just the centerpiece, and the second shows the finished piece. Enjoy!

Project description: Using acrylic and collage techniques I hand-painted photo frames for my family. The frames were canvas frames purchased at Walmart for about $4 each. I first primed them with gesso. When I collaged them I used an acrylic mat medium, the fish were hand printed with acrylic over a base coat of gold acrylic paint. The rest were hand painted in simple designs or I scraped off paint with simple things like a comb to get an abstract design.

Project description: These hearts were made using the "flip and sew" crazy quilting technique. Seams were embroidered and beaded using traditional stitches, various threads, and a combination of antique Mother of Pearl and glass buttons added the finishing touches. Hearts were "stuffed" using batting and a heart shaped piece of plastic to help them hold their structure.

Project description: Handmade metal table with glass top. All metal shapes made with a power hammer using blacksmithing techniques. The table stands 18" high and glass top measures 18" by 27" Individual parts welded together, sandblasted, and then hand painted.

Project description: Gertrude is the perfect pet. She does not eat a lot and never complains. She has a heart of copper.She listens to your problems all day and will bring a smile to your face.